Jose Salvador Mendez, 72, passed away peacefully early in the morning of January 5th 2019. He is preceded in death by his birth mother, Maria de la Paz Bustamante and his birth father, J. Guadalupe Quiroz. His adoptive mother, Sarah Morales Mendez and his adoptive father, Modesto P. Mendez and his sister, Carmen Bustamante.
Jose leaves behind his loving wife of 52 years Lydia Mendez, three daughters Maria de la Paz Haaga, Sarah G. Mendez, and Sophia G. Mendez, five grandchildren including: Joanna M. Rogers, Rebeccah D. Barnes, Chloe Mendez, Joe William Mendez Haaga and Ian Mendez Sanchez, plus one great grandchild Logan A. Barnes. Survived by his brother Jose Inez Mendez.
He was born in San Luis Potosí, SLP, Mexico, on October 20, 1946 and moved to the US with his adopted parents while still a small child. He traveled for work through various parts of Texas including Wichita Falls, Abilene, Richmond and Lyford. He eventually settled with his family in Rosenberg, TX In 1962. While visiting Houston he met Lydia Gonzales and fell in love, four years later they married. The new couple bought a house and moved to Pineview Place, Magnolia Park in 1969 and started the family that would be by his side throughout the oncoming years.
Jose was a construction worker by trade, having started his career as a scaffold builder and working his way up to General Foreman, managing large teams of workers for the top companies of the time including Brown & Root, Shell Oil, Rohm & Haas and The Mundy Corporation.
With his scaffolding expertise, Jose S. Mendez helped build the Sidney Sherman Bridge on Interstate 610 over the Ship Channel, which helped him earn the name “Crazy Joe” from his fellow workers. The bridge opened in 1973 with a clearance of 135 feet. It was one of the top ten outstanding engineering achievements in the nation at the time according to the National Society of Professional Engineers.
In addition to his large family Jose loved being outdoors, lending a hand at church, helping friends and neighbors, going to the park, music, dancing and tending to his beloved roses. He was always busy doing something, whether it was building a dog house or designing a way to make something work. He was an avid fisherman and camper. He liked to travel back to Mexico as often as possible to visit distant family, and he often spoke of his mother and sisters back in San Luis. Jose never met a stranger as he was very social.
Visitation will be 6-9pm
Thursday, January 10
Rosary 7pm
Forest Park Lawndale
6900 Lawndale Ave
Houston, Texas 77023
Friday, January 11
Final viewing 9:15am
Immaculate Conception Church
Funeral Mass 10am
Immaculate Conception Church
7250 Harrisburg Blvd
Houston, Texas 77012
Reception to follow at noon
American Legion #472
7599 Ave C
Houston, Texas 77012
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